a restaurant run by one guy who is the chef/server/cashier etc. The food is Very Good and the…read moreportion sizes are solid. When I walked in he said the soup they had today was lentil soup. Very flavorful with a good variety of vegetables in there. Guava juice was in a large cup, and this wasn't one of those situations where the cup is 80% ice. Chicken arepas are great. Keep in mind that all this is made by One Guy and food may take a bit to come out depending on how many people are in your group.

It is, for sure, just one dude holding down this whole joint all by himself: cook, waiter,…read morebartender, all. Very basic dining room for sure, but it's really all about the food. The food is good and authentic. Took a friend who knows Colombian food well and this guy is doing it just like they do down there. I've never had arepas so good. We had the reinas pepiadas: really really tasty. I could see how some people are a little alienated by him, but also remember that he's there alone. You can go a little off the rails at places that have more people on staff to manage those kinds of patrons. When you walk in, you know that you can't push beyond what's offered and make special requests. This place is one of the more interesting places to eat around here; let's appreciate his/its strengths and not dwell on what this place isn't.

A friend suggested this place, and he was on target, as now I have eaten there twice!…read more Located in a West Des Moines strip mall, the storefront is without fanfare with a large parking lot. I wasn't wowed until I sat down, and then now...POW, some of the best food I have enjoyed here in DSM. First, great customer service throughout, as our server was impeccably good. My first visit was for lunch, and I thoroughly enjoyed empanadas, Papa Serrana, and other items. It was delicious, unique, and superb. That prompted a second visit, this time for dinner. I loved the Homado Con Mote, spectacular flavor with pork, white corn, rice, and potato. It was sensational. So much taste, such great options. The interior is not flashy, but it doesn't have to be, as the food quality, unique menu, and excellent customer service pushed the bar extremely high and maintained it.

I enjoyed getting to try a new to me place. My husband and I shared an order of the empanadas to…read morestart with. The cheese ones with a sprinkle of sugar, as recommended, was definitely my favorite! I enjoyed the beef one and did not care as much for the chicken one. I asked the waiter what I should get as I was torn. Of course I don't recall what it was, but I enjoyed it. I'm not usually a plantains person, but I really enjoyed them with this dish. It was very filling and flavorful. My husband ordered a spicy dish and enjoyed it as well. Our waiter did a great job with our large group. He was friendly and provided a ton of recommendations we were all happy with. The bathrooms were clean, as was the rest of the restaurant. I will go back, especially for the cheese empanadas.

Thankful for this dining experience, as it combined great food, a unique menu, and excellent…read morecustomer service. I suggest getting reservations, but we were able to get a table for four walking in early on a Saturday. Never felt rushed throughout. Unbelievably good Lomo Saltado, and sampled each of my family's dishes. Our server, Felipe, was outstanding, and we also appreciated the table visit from Mariella, the manager, who explained some of our dinner items. One of the better restaurants in the Metro!

My husband and I came into town to see our son at college and take him to dinner for his birthday…read more We made our reservation for 6:15 at about 4:30. The restaurant did not open until 5. We were pretty excited about it, because it was a birthday dinner, and our son had spent the last summer in Peru for an internship and was eager to try this out. We showed up at 6, and it was obvious we weren't going to be able to get in early, which was fine. My husband waited to check in, while my son and I waited in the car, since there is no waiting area and barely any room, especially since some other diners were waiting as well, presumably for their 6 pm reservation. It was clear it would be awhile, since the tables were all still full. Around 6:15, another group crammed their way into the small entryway. At 6:30, they had some empty tables, so they finally acknowledged everyone waiting. The 6:30 group asked for their table, and my husband interjected to say we had a 6:15 reservation. The host informed him that we were not on his list and did not have a reservation. My husband showed them our confirmation email and the OpenTable app we used. The host stated that he does not check for more reservations after 5 pm and we clearly had made the reservation too late. (Note: I said we did it at 4:30, so this was clearly not when he looked). The host informed my husband that there was no reservation, and we would not be seated, and he didn't care that we had a reservation since it clearly was made too late. My husband protested, and the host turned his back to him and walked off shaking his head. We were not seated, and he did not return. So we did not get dinner. My advice to you: Making a reservation here will not guarantee you will be seated or served. We had to find somewhere else to eat for my son's birthday, and all the other options we had turned down for this one were booked. Also, they are bad at estimating dining times. They will not acknowledge you until there are open tables, even to check you in, and you may wait for some time after your scheduled reservation.